…Says, ‘No victor,  no vanquished’ 
From: Ndubuisi Orji,  Abuja
Chairman,  National Caretaker Committee of the  Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP),  Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, on Wednesday afternoon, resumed at the party’s national secretariat, in Abuja, after the Supreme Court validated the sack of Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff as the party’s leader.
Makarfi arrived the secretariat in company of members of the committee and other top notchers of the party few minutes after the apex court quashed the judgment of the Appeal Court,  Port Harcourt Division  that declared Sheriff as the ‘authentic’ national chairman of the PDP.
Party chieftains present at the secretariat included Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, former ministers, among other party stalwarts.
Addressing a crowd of party faithful that thronged the Wadata House,  Makarfi said the Supreme Court judgment was a victory for all members of the party, noting that there was ‘no victor and vanquished’.
He said the legal battle the caretaker committee fought in the last was a battle for the sustenance of democracy in the country.
The PDP leader extended a hand of fellowship to members of the sacked National Working Committee (NWC) led by Sen. Sheriff,  noting the caretaker is committed to reconciliation in the party. However, he noted that the reconciliation must be based on equity and justice.
According to him :”The battle we fought was not a battle for PDP alone. It was a battle for democracy, it was a battle for supremacy of party men and women to decide their destiny. And it is a battle to do away with dictatorship in political parties and this will never repeat itself.
“There is no victor, there is no vanquished. We must be open to reconciliation. But there is a caveat: reconciliation does not mean we take what belongs to people and give it to you. Reconciliation must be based on equity, equality and values.
“With this caveat, we should be prepared and willing to reconcile with everybody. Anybody that can meet this criteria, we should be willing and open to reconciliation with such a person no matter where they are. ”
Makarfi said the caretaker committee will consult with the relevant organs of the party within the next two days and come up programmes on how to move the party forward.
On his part,  the National Legal Adviser of the party, Hon Dave Iorhemba told journalists that the Supreme Court judgment is victory for democracy in the country.
“It is victory for democracy.  It is not only  a victory for the PDP.  It is a victory for all political parties.  This judgment has enshrined the supremacy of the convention of every political party.  It is  a victory for all of us”, he stated